Intellect
by Land of magic
Summary: When Bella s plan to destroy the Kraus dictatorship comes together, she must face the consequences together with her team. In apocalyptic New York, she is one of the three intellects, and must come together with the others to fight for the freedom of the last remaining survivors.


**INTELLECT**

 **CHAPTER ONE**

My mother always said, that it's our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities. I believe her, I have always believed her. I think she would be proud of me, but deep inside, I know that my choices need to change.

Sometimes, I think that I could be happy in another world, an easy world. I walk up the paved driveway, and pass the electric fences on either side. They had erected them just over a month ago, and was a gift for the new heat sensors that I had designed. My house is big, far too big for just two people. Echoes deafen me every day.

The keys were given to me at an Intellect celebration a year ago, my mother had reluctantly accepted. Sometimes I imagine that this is all but just a bad dream, but then the daily knock off alarms jerks me back to reality. They say that we are different from the others, much different, and they call us the Intellects. I had never really given much thought to what it meant until they explained it in a way that sort of overwhelmed me. I can still smell the pungent odour of the white leather chair that I sat in when I was told that I have this extraordinary IQ, greater than 160 to be exact.

I guess that I have always known that I was different, even though my mother tried so hard to hide it from me, and the rest of the world.

The transition from having a normal life to one of constant pressure is nerve wracking. I was identified as an intellect when I turned sixteen and passed the stupid challenges. This year is my surveillance challenge, it's like situational tests that proves to them that your abilities haven't changed.

When you pass them, you become a hero to them again, and you have to deliver in line with the standard that you have set. If you fail, you are simply thrown out and have the option of either becoming a general worker for or moving out of the city, a place described as a modern hell.

Deep down inside of me, I don't fully accept the rules. I think that I just abide by them for the sake of the others and my sanity. Later on today, the Kraus Facility will reveal if there are any new potential intellects as well as the date for the fifth annual Challenge.

It's my lunch break, and I am allowed an hour every day. I usually spend it with my team, but today is a special day. It's my seventeenth birthday, and I had decided to go home. I walk into the kitchen, to the sight of a woman cheerfully humming, and dressed in bright pink floral with really red hair.

It`s my crazy mother, of course, I can't help but notice the chocolate cake on the table top. She loves me, so very much, but I also know that she carries a heap of worry with her, I see it in her eyes every day.

''Happy birthday Bella Swan,'' she screams. I can picture so clearly the last time that my mother called me by my full name, it was my first day as an intellect. Proud, yes, but I think she was scared for me, she never really lets her emotions show. I was a pile of nerves that day, and she said to me, "You are strong Bella, and don't you ever forget it!" My mother is, and will always be my pillar of strength. I tend not to imagine of what life would be without her.

"Thank you mom," I reply.

She plants a kiss on my cheek.

"So seventeen hey, my girl is all grown up"

I blush a bit and smile at her as she lights the candles. She smiles back. My mother is beautiful, with porcelain pale skin, wide, blue eyes and a long well defined nose. I look like her except I have plumper lips, and my dad's black hair and high cheek bones. I miss him, it was my tenth birthday, the day he died.

''There, now make a wish.'' She smiles.

I close my eyes, and blow out every single candle. I knew exactly what to wish for, I had been thinking of it for months.

''Thanks mom'', I say and tightly hug her.

''You welcome baby girl''.

I study her face but can't quiet read her. Even though our situation may seem comfortable, I know that she misses our old life terribly. In my heart of hearts, I know that what I am about to do will save us, and hopefully everyone else.

I glance at her, "Mum…..do you, do you have any regrets?''

I see a hint of slight confusion on her face. She frowns before answering me, ''Just one…..and you know what that is? Not spending enough time with you, you grew up so fast''. After my father died, my mother accepted work in the rice fields that is south of the city. I barely saw her, it was a sacrifice that she had to make to keep us alive.

''I'm not going anywhere mom'', I should say more but I figure that today isn't the time to talk about the past. I give her a gentle hug. I grab the piece of cake that she wrapped up and kiss her cheek.

''Got to go, love you and thank you for my cake.''

''Love you and be safe'', she says as I scoot out the door.

The walk to the Kraus Facility is a short one. I could take the bus, but I would have to walk a mile to station C1, and that would delay me by a few minutes. My sector leader would hate it, as he expects me back on time. Time is money, he would say.

I am able to see the bus from a distance on the Alpine bridge, it resembles a big chunk of dented metal. Every morning, the bus drops off team members at the back boom gate of the Kraus facility. They aren't allowed in through the main entrance, neither do they undergo any identity verification. They were chosen by the section leaders, and are considered weak by them. When you turn sixteen, you undergo the general blood tests, if your test indicates green then you move on to the challenges. If it's red then you automatically become a worker. At age thirty, you are let go from the facility as you are considered inefficient at this age.

I see the guards on the bridge, carefully keeping an eye out for trespassers. Almost all of Lotus, which is out city is owned by the Kraus Facility.

The road is perfectly tarred, as I near the high walled, hexagonal building. At every corner, is a security camera that is monitored twenty four hours a day.

I approach the main boomed gate, and the heavily armed guards nod their heads at me. They are all dressed in proper combat uniform, each having the K.F symbol. A few years ago, this building was nothing more than concrete and steel. The owner of K.F gained power and popularity through their weapons programme, using us, to develop them.

I have a permanent barcode imprinted on my wrist, it's an identifier but also serves as a tracker, in case we escape.

I lift up my wrist to the black box positioned near the metal door and it beeps twice. The building is five stories high: The roof top is a weapon testing station, access to this area is restricted to just us and the section leaders. The other floors are manufacturing plants, this is where the workers assemble the pieces. My work area is on the ground floor, section A, number two. I don't spend much time there, I prefer to be more hands on with the others.

I enter the large foyer, the glassed walls all have the K.F logo on it.

''Hey Bella,'' says the admin lady behind the long wooden desk. A year ago, she worked for K.F but the section leader decided that she was not strong enough, so they moved her here. I smile and nod at her. I don't have much say in the recruitment and development process for workers, if I did, things would be different here. The notice for the date announcement of the Annual challenge is pinned up on the board behind her. Last year, I didn't even flinch at the thought of it, but today, spasms of fear run through me.

The sliding door opens into the ground floor and the steps lead up to the first floor, which is the electronics area. I scramble up and enter through a metal sliding door. As I enter, I am immediately hit with a metallic stink. The factory is fogged with black dust, and the workers all have paper masks on. A few months ago, I demanded the supply of appropriate protective equipment, but my request was denied due to cost factors.

I make out Jacob through the black fog, he seems to be demonstrating something to a worker. He is an intellect just like me, and leads thirty two workers. He was identified two years ago. I heard that his family had fled with him through the outskirts of the city, but they were eventually captured a few days later. He glances at me and heads my way.

''It's bad, I know,'' he says with a concerned tone and removes his mask.

I cough as I don't have a mask on. He gently places his hand on my back and leads me out the work station. Jacob is well built, strong and somewhat a gentleman. His I.Q is slightly higher than mine, 162. His field is electronics, he can design almost anything that the K.F requires.

''You hyped for the announcement?'', he asks.

I take a moment to breathe in deeply, and then reply, ''Yeah'', I lied. I couldn't tell him how nervous I was, or what thoughts have been running through my mind for the last few months. I also couldn't tell him what I was planning.

He smiles at me. ''Well…see you later then, at the podium.''

I nod and walk toward my work station, with my hands folded. I try to act normal as I pass by a camera in the passage way. There are fifty two cameras in the building, almost every area of the factory is monitored.

I pass by members from the Assembly line, they are transporting the weapon parts for assembly upstairs. They are so obedient, politely greeting me on their way.

I have always felt that I don't deserve the respect I get. I have done nothing great except use what I have been born with, my intelligence. My mother says that everyone is a different kind of special. Here, at K.F, we are oppressed, and confined to these walls. We have no choice, and no freedom to be who we want to be.


End file.
